ECB and Sky Sports recognise 200th live England Test

The landmark moment in televised cricket will be recognised by an on-pitch presentation by ECB chairman Giles Clarke to members of the Sky Sports commentary team at tea on the third day. Sky’s coverage will also feature various highlights from Sky’s first 199 live England Tests.

The fifth Investec Test match between England and India at the Kia Oval is the 200th live England Test shown by Sky Sports. Sky’s first live England Test match was against the West Indies in the Caribbean in 1990 and the broadcaster has followed England live every year since. In 2006, Sky began showing England exclusively live at home and was recently awarded a BAFTA for its coverage of last summer’s Ashes for the first Investec Test at Trent Bridge.

To mark the occasion, the England men’s and women’s teams wore caps embroidered with ‘200’ in team photos this week. The caps will be signed by the players and Sky commentary team and auctioned to raise money for Cricket United.

ECB chairman Giles Clarke said:“I want to congratulate and thank Sky for their commitment to Test cricket. In the last 199 Test matches they have grown into not only an outstanding broadcaster but also an excellent partner and supporter of the ECB and all cricket in England and Wales. I agree entirely with the opinion that we are living in the golden era of television commentary and that has been down to the brilliance of the Sky commentators and production.

“The funding that Sky’s investment in cricket has produced has also led to a period of unrivalled success on the field for not only the England senior side but also the England women’s side, who have also featured regularly on Sky. In the past 199 Tests Sky have captured some of the iconic moments of England cricket – importantly both home and away. I stress away because until 1990 seeing an England tour in its entirety was unheard of and that, through Sky, has changed forever.“

Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sportsadded:“We’re extremely proud of our partnership with the ECB and the impact our investment has had on the game at all levels. We put cricket at the heart of everything we do, using our coverage to entertain, educate and enlighten. Our commitment to cricket also includes extensive coverage of women’s, county and youth matches and we look forward to following England for many years to come.”

The ECB’s partnership with Sky has resulted in a significant investment in all areas of the recreational, first-class and international game. Since Sky Sports became the ECB’s principal live TV broadcast partner in 2006, the ECB has invested nearly £150 million in grassroots participation and improving facilities. England women’s cricketers have been awarded professional contracts for the first time, and specialist coaches have been appointed. More than £10 million has also been invested in infrastructure including drainage and floodlighting, with a further £18 million available as interest free loans to support investment in improved stadia and facilities.

Sky Sports shows live cricket from around the world throughout the year. Sky’s on-air innovations include stump mic and cameras, helmet cameras, hotspot analysis, high definition, interactivity and 3D. The world’s first ever usage of Hi Motion camera technology for a sports event was by Sky’s cricket production in the West Indies in 2004.

For the 2013 Ashes, Sky Sports dedicated an entire channel to the sport, providing viewers with over 60 days of cricket including every ball from England’s Test series against Australia. Sky also launched the first-ever second-screen cricket experience for iPad, giving users access to the same match analysis technology used by the Sky Sports commentary team during live matches.

Since broadcasting the first ever live ball-by-ball coverage of an overseas cricket tour in 1990, Sky’s live England Test coverage has featured 206,456 runs, 6,183 wickets and 66,723.3 overs in 199 Tests. Every one of England captain Alastair Cook’s 108 Tests has been played on Sky, and Brian Lara’s two world record-breaking innings both took place live on Sky Sports.

Sky is the UK and Ireland’s leading home entertainment and communications company. Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.

Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.6 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News. Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.

Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi. NOW TV, Sky’s second consumer brand, builds on the company’s leadership in internet TV. Sky is also the UK’s fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play’ provider of TV, broadband and home phone.

Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 25,000 people, has annual revenues of £7.6 billion and is estimated to support a £6.0 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY).